The Lebanese Pizza Variations

Al Sanabel is “another of those beautiful discoveries that make Brookhurst Street the Chow axis of Orange County,” says Das Ubergeek. It specializes in sfiha, a kind of Lebanese pizza that’s really close to lahmajoun. But where the Armenian flatbread typically comes topped with minced meat and tomato, Al Sanabel’s sfiha is available in a dozen or more varieties.

And they’re incredible, especially the cheese and za’atar (a tangy blend of dried herbs and spices). “It was so good that I am sitting here at 21:01, just over two hours after I ate it, thinking about how I can wangle my schedule tomorrow to be able to go have one for lunch,” Das Ubergeek says.

Cheese and spinach is similarly good, and so is the well-spiced lahmajoun. The yogurt-pomegranate combo, though, might be too tangy.

Each sfiha is about the diameter of a CPK pizza, but rolled or folded in half so it’s more like a calzone. One is enough for lunch, especially with a dip or a small salad. Two is a full-on meal.

Sfiha with just za’atar and oil is $1.25; most are $2.75; “the works” is $3.50. There are also decent falafel and hummus, for $4.75 and $3.99 respectively for a plate with extras like pita and pickles.